William alaxander sparks and james ep collins



(No Model.)

W. A. SPARKS & J. E. COLLINS.

'GAR COUPLING.

No. 544,598. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

W H gasses UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-WILLIAM ALAXAN'DEE SPARKS AND JAMES EP COLLINS, F MOUNT VER- NoN, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALE TO GEORGE M. SINCLAIR AND THOMASSMITH, OF SAME PLAoE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,598, dated August 13, 1895.

Application filed September 24, 1894. Serial No. 523,966. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM ALAXANDER SPARKS and JAMES E COLLINS, citizens of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon,

in the county of Skagit and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Car- Ooupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of pin-and-link carcouplings, and to provide one capable of coupling automatically and adapted to convey the IS link of an approaching or opposite draw-head into the mouth of its'draw-head to avoid guiding the link by hand and to obviate the necessity of going between cars'd uring coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention and shown set for automatic coupling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the parts 0 when coupled. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the link guider and conveyer.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head of ordinary con- 5 figuration, provided with alongitudinal linkopening 2, and having at the top of the same a longitudinal way 3, formed by opposite grooves and receiving a horizontally-disposed longitudinally-movable slide 4, adapted to support a coupling-pin 5 in an elevated position preparatory to coupling. The couplingpin 5 is elliptical in cross-section, and the coupling-pin perforation 6 of the draw-head is of similar shape to prevent the couplingpin from turning. The slide is provided with a corresponding coupling-pin perforation 7, having a beveled rear portion and adapted to register, when the slide is moved inward, with the coupling-pin perforation of the drawhead to cause the coupling-pin to fall and engage a link 8.

The front end of the slide is provided with a head or buffer 9, adapted to be engaged by the draw-head of an approaching or opposite car to move the slide inward as the cars come together, and the upper portion of the'front of the draw-head is provided with a recess 10, conforming to the configuration of the head or buffer, to receive the same and to permit the buffer, which, extends upward from the slide, to lie flush with the outer face of the draw-head. The movement of the slide is limited by a removable pin 11, located at the back of the draw-head, in a suitable perforation thereof, and engaging or fitting in a longitudinal slot of the rear portion of the slide.

The link of an opposite draw-head, when cars come together for coupling, is received and conveyed into the mouth of the drawhead 1 by a link-guider 13, which is hinged to the Slide at a point intermediate of the ends thereof and at the lower face of the same, and which,when the slide is extended, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, has its front portion 14: resting against and supported by the front of the draw-head. The link guider and conveyer has its front portion 14 shovel-shaped, the sides 15 being slightly curved upward to retain the link on it, and it is provided in rear of the shovel portion with a curved neck or shank 16, extending upward and terminating in an open eye 17, which is hinged between depending perforated ears or flanges 18 of the slide; or by any other suitable construction it may be connected hingedly to the lower face of the slide. The open eye detachably connects the link-guider to the slide, and in event of the breakage of either of the parts they may be readily disconnected and detached from the draw-head to permit a new part to be supplied. When the slide is withdrawn into the draw-head, the link-guider is arranged within the same entirely, and it conforms to the configuration of the bottom of the draw-head and is provided with a coupling-pin perforation 19 to permit the coupling-pin to pass through it and enter the lower portion of the coupling-pin perforation of the draw'head. The link-guider is provided, in advance of the coupling-pin perforation, with a nipple or shoulder 20, formed by upsetting the metal'of the link-guider and presenting a beveled front portionand a shouldered rear portion, and forming a catch to be engaged by a link in leaving the draw-head, whereby in uncoupling the parts will be automatically set for coupling.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, as the movable parts do not interfere with the construction of the draw-head or materially weaken the same, and that in operation it is positive and reliable. It will also be apparent that in event of the breakage of the slide or the link-guider those parts may be readily removed by withdrawing the pin 11, inorder that other parts may be readily substituted. 1

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or conforming to the configuration of the bottom of the draw-head and having side flanges and provided with a coupling-pin perforation, and having in advance of the coupling-pin perforation a struck-up portion forming a catch, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing-as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ALAXANDER SPARKS. JAMES El COLLINS.

Vitnesses:

THOMAS SMITH, GEO. M. SINCLAIR. 

